Statement by
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
on Agenda Item 5: Nuclear Verification
***
IAEA Board of Governors Meeting
Vienna, Austria, 8 September 2003
Madame Chairman,
1.
Vienna.
I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the NAM Chapter in
2. Allow me at the very outset to express our deep shock and dismay at the
recent bomb attacks, particularly against the Headquarters of the United Nations
Mission in Baghdad which has killed at least 23 people including Mr. Sergio Vieira de
Mello, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Iraq, as well as injuring
many others. We extend our sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the
victims, bereaved families and other affected individuals as a result of the attack. We
condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and we believe that such attacks
cannot break the will of the international community to continue to extend all possible
assistance to the Iraqi people to regain their national sovereignty. We are also
convinced that the UN would continue to play its role in Iraq.
3. Continuing on, we express our appreciation to the Director General, Dr.
Mohamed ElBaradei for his comprehensive introductory statement to the Board.
(a) The conclusion of safeguards agreements and of additional
protocols
4. As regards to Agenda Item 5(a), the NAM Chapter in Vienna
welcomes the decision of the Republic of Cuba to sign safeguards
agreements. The Movement takes note of the significance of this year’s
celebration of the XVIIIth Conference of the Agency for the Prohibition of
Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) this
November in Havana, Cuba.
5. The NAM Chapter in Vienna also welcomes the decision of the
Government of Iceland to conclude its safeguards agreements.
Madame Chairman, I thank you.
(b) Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Islamic
Republic of Iran: Report by the Director General
Madame Chairman,
1. On behalf of the NAM Chapter in Vienna, I wish to express the
Movement’s appreciation to the Director General, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei
and the Secretariat for the report to the Board in relation to safeguards issues
in the Islamic Republic of Iran as contained in document GOV/200/63.
2. In this regard, the NAM Chapter in Vienna commends the
Secretariat for the extensive verification activities it had undertaken since
June and expresses full support for its ongoing efforts to resolve outstanding
questions.
3. Recalling that the Board had previously urged Iran to promptly solve
all outstanding safeguards issues identified in the June report, the Movement
welcomes that Iran has taken actions towards rectifying the situation and in
particular, through increased degree of co-operation in relation to the amount
and detail of the information provided to the Agency and in allowing access
requested to the additional locations and the taking of associated
environmental samples. In this respect, NAM encourages Iran to continue to
handle this issue with full transparency.
Madame Chairman,
4. In addition, the NAM Chapter in Vienna also welcomes the letter
dated 24 August 2003 in which the Resident Representative of Iran to the
Agency informed the Director General that Iran was “prepared to begin
negotiation with the IAEA on the Additional Protocol”.
Madame Chairman,
5. The NAM Chapter in Vienna recognizes the basic and inalienable
right of all Member States to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
The NAM Chapter in Vienna also places high importance towards achieving
the appropriate balance between the rights of Member States and of their
obligations.
6. Finally, the NAM Chapter in Vienna encourages that co-operation
between Iran and the Agency be continued and accelerated with the support
of other Member States to result in the full settlement of the issue. NAM
underlines for this issue to be resolved through constructive dialogue within
the framework of the Agency.
Thank you, Madame Chairman